A Billion Tonnes of Food Wasted AS 783 Million Go Hungry

By Bernard Gitau

“Food waste is a global tragedy. Millions will go hungry today as food is wasted across the world,” remarked Inger Andersen, Executive Director of UNEP, during the recent launch of the UNEP Food Waste Index Report 2024.

According to the Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO), in 2022, at least 783 million people faced hunger, while millions of meals went to waste globally. This stark reality underscores the urgent need to address the issue of food waste.

The recently released food waste index report revealed alarming statistics: households worldwide wasted over 1 billion meals daily in 2022, coinciding with a third of humanity experiencing food insecurity. Shockingly, 1.05 billion tonnes of food waste were generated that year, amounting to 132 kilograms per capita and nearly one-fifth of all food available to consumers.

Anderson highlighted that the impacts of such unnecessary waste extend beyond hunger, affecting the global economy and exacerbating climate change, nature loss, and pollution. Food loss and waste are responsible for generating 8-10 percent of annual global greenhouse gas emissions, equivalent to almost five times that of the aviation sector. Moreover, it contributes significantly to biodiversity loss by occupying nearly a third of the world’s agricultural land.

Despite the grim statistics, there is room for hope. Anderson emphasized that prioritizing the issue of food waste can lead to significant reductions in climate impacts and economic losses, thus accelerating progress on global goals.

The UNEP Food Waste Index Report 2024, co-authored with WRAP, provides crucial insights into global food waste trends and offers guidance for countries to improve data collection and implement best practices in waste reduction. While progress has been made since 2021, many low- and middle-income countries still lack adequate systems for tracking food waste, hindering efforts to meet Sustainable Development Goal 12.3 of halving food waste by 2030.

The report highlights that food waste is not confined to ‘rich countries,’ with household waste levels differing only slightly across income brackets. Additionally, hotter countries tend to generate more food waste per capita, possibly due to higher consumption of fresh foods with substantial inedible parts and a lack of robust cold chains.

The economic toll of food loss and waste is estimated at roughly USD 1 trillion, underscoring the urgency of addressing this issue. Efforts to strengthen food waste reduction and circularity, particularly in urban areas, are crucial, while rural areas can benefit from greater diversion of food scraps to pets, livestock, and home composting.

As of 2022, only 21 countries have included food loss and/or waste reduction in their national climate plans (NDCs), highlighting the need for greater global commitment to combat this pressing issue.

In conclusion, the fight against food waste requires concerted efforts from governments, businesses, and individuals worldwide. By prioritizing this issue, we can mitigate its devastating impacts and work towards a more sustainable future for all.